IS tarnished Islam’s image: Egypt’s top cleric

Cairo, August 13: Egypt’s top cleric has condemned the extremist Islamic State outfit as a terrorist organisation, saying it has “tarnished” the image of Islam and paved the way for destruction of Muslim nations. Grand Mufti Shawki Allam, Egypt’s highest religious authority, said that it is a “fatal mistake” that a terrorist organisation like IS could be described as an Islamic State when it is very far from Islamic values and regulations and even human values.

During his meeting with Lebanese former Prime Minister Fouad Seniora yesterday, the Grand Mufti said that such an “extremist bloody group” represents a danger on Islam. ”The extremist bloody group had tarnished the image of Islam and paved the way for the destruction of Muslim nations,” Allam said, referring to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

During the meeting, the Lebanese former prime minister praised the Grand Mufti’s role along with Egyptian Dar el-Eftaa in confronting such terroristic extremist ideas. Seniora also said that Egypt has strongly regained its regional and international role, which spread a state of security in the neighboring countries. ”Egypt’s stability and strength also mean stability and strength in Arab neighboring countries,” Seniora added. The Islamic State is an Al-Qaida breakaway group that has seized much of northeastern Syria and huge tracts of neighboring Iraq.